All I Want For Christmas
by Nanaki BH
Summary: Suzaku/Lelouch - All Lelouch wants for Christmas is Suzaku.


**Disclaimer:** _Code Geass_ and all related characters and materials are property of CLAMP and Sunrise.

All I Want For Christmas  
By: Nanaki BH

Lelouch looked himself over in the mirror again for maybe the hundredth time, this time debating about whether or not he should give himself a spritz of cologne. He probably didn't need it, he decided tentatively, placing the bottle back down onto the dresser top. Suzaku seemed to take a guilty pleasure in the way even his shampoo smelled, so he figured that anything more might be overkill.

He took a glance down to his middle where his shirt remained unbuttoned and open.

The dark mark left from where his sword had been plunged and removed still remained, too dark for his liking, even if it had faded. He ran his fingers over the slightly raised edge, wincing at the memories it brought back. Hastily, he buttoned up his shirt, starting at the top so he wouldn't have to look at it anymore. Suzaku still seemed to feel guilty about it whenever he saw it, which made Lelouch feel terrible. If living apart weren't enough already...

Cue the short mental debate about whether or not he should tuck in his shirt – untucked, perhaps. But tucking it in meant there was a chance Suzaku might untuck it at some point and that sounded... kind of nice. He tucked it in.

A plaid shirt didn't really call for a tie or anything. Suzaku was probably going to come in something far less than formal so he didn't need to worry, but he did anyway. Come to think of it, living so far from the city had given him an unwanted appreciation for dressing _like_ he lived in the country. They were very unrestrictive clothes, but... Something about it made him feel unnerved. The prince still left in him was somewhat disgusted.

A shrill beeping jarred his thoughts back to reality and he abandoned his work at the mirror, running off to the kitchen. Where was C.C. when he actually needed her? It was his fault she wasn't there, since he was the one who told her to stay well enough away for the night, but he could have really used an extra hand when it came to things like this. Baking. Not that he was a terrible cook, but he wasn't very confident in baking western confections.

The cookies looked fine; warm, light sugar cookies of various colors and shapes. There were tons of kinds he could have picked from, but his uncertainty led him to the most standard thing available to him. He didn't know if Suzaku had a preference on it, after all.

...Not that he really knew many other little things like that since they'd been spending so much time apart. Sometimes he really wished Nunnally would outgrow her need for Zero already and let him go free so Suzaku could come cavort with him in the countryside.

He buried his face in his oven mitt-covered palms and groaned, trying to keep the stupid, girlish grin off his face.

The countryside was very romantic.

There had been occasions when Suzaku found the time to visit. He probably had enough time alone anyway, but Nunnally kept him very busy. If he were gone for more than usual, she'd get suspicious and then demand his identity, or stop trusting him, or _who knows_. It wouldn't have been good if they spent too much time together. Still, what little time they had together Lelouch cherished. Lelouch tried not to show it too much, but he really missed him. He'd marked off on his calendar how many times Suzaku visited and it only came to a grand total of thirty times. Each time felt like an impressive feat and they usually spent them talking constantly about what the other had missed until they ran out of words.

Christmas was an important day... for everyone. Even though he sometimes selfishly wished he could "steal" Suzaku from Nunnally, he knew that his sister needed him as much as he did, even if she didn't know that Suzaku and Zero were one in the same. Sometimes, he had his suspicions about that, though...

After getting some of the cookies arranged on a dish, he sunk down into a chair at the table. Wearily, he rested his chin in his palms, glancing at the stove's clock. He had the lights dimmed, save for the kitchen, some candles placed in the living room, the fire going and keeping the place nice and warm... It felt a lot warmer than the palace certainly had, but something still felt like it was missing. He wondered what it must've been like for Nunnally.

It was either her or him; his queen or his lover – not that he wanted his sister to be abandoned on a night like this. It had been something of a dilemma, but he had eventually decided to send a letter to Suzaku anyway. He was positive that Nunnally received mail (and of course he knew the address) but Zero? He wasn't sure Zero would receive anything at all – and if he did, it was probably hate mail. He sent it anyway, though, even though he knew it might strike a little bit of suspicion if anybody else were to read it. Being very careful about his word choices, he requested his presence for Christmas and signed with a salutation ("yours") and no name. That would be enough, he thought.

Suzaku wasn't showing up, though. Maybe he'd been a little too bold...

Not a second too soon, there came a knock at the door. Lelouch practically tripped over himself as he rose swiftly from his chair and darted into his bedroom for one last look at himself. After untucking the shirt, then tucking it back in a sudden fit of indecision, he ran back to the door and opened it, slightly out of breath. Suzaku stood backlit in the doorway, a hand politely tipping his hat. With a smirk, Lelouch stepped aside to let him in, closing the door behind them.

"I take it you got my letter," Lelouch said, sliding his hands to Suzaku's shoulders to help him slide off his coat.

A small laugh. "I did, and wouldn't you know it, Nunnally asked who it was from."

Halfway to the coat rack, Lelouch froze for a moment, fingers stiffening around the collar of the coat. "...Yeah? What happened?"

Suzaku took off his hat and tucked it under his arm as he unlaced his shoes. "Well, I just kind of shrugged it off like it was any old letter... 'cept I guess I looked at it for too long and she got _really_ curious, you know, so..."

The ex-prince's nervous stare didn't waver. "Don't tell me she read it."

"Oh. No, she didn't, but she gave me this weird smile and just kind of said 'okay' about it and walked away. If nothing else, I think she's onto me."

Heaving a relieved sigh, Lelouch finally managed to lift his hands to hang the coat by the door. Accepting Suzaku's hat, he placed it on the top of the rack and led him inside. His heart was still nervously hammering in his chest, though, still getting over the possibility that she knew. The two of them had a bond and he just got the feeling that she _knew_ this whole time – that he was alive, that Suzaku was Zero, that the two of them were... No doubt, his absence was hurting her something terrible, but he just had that _feeling_.

"Think she'll be okay?" Lelouch asked, lowering his eyes. He still felt guilty about leaving her alone. Even if her company would have just been the masked knight, Suzaku was still company. He may have looked a little frightening on the outside, but he knew that she felt the spirit of them both behind the cold mask.

Smiling warmly, Suzaku took his hand and led him toward the living room. "She'll be fine. She's royalty, but you'd be surprised. She's got a lot of good friends with her, just like we did. People adore her, Lelouch, she'll never be alone." Lelouch gave a slightly unconvinced sigh, but allowed himself to be led until they reached the couch.

Catching the sulking Lelouch off guard, Suzaku wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him down on the couch with him, the two landing in a tangle together.

"Hey-"

"It's Christmas." Suzaku hadn't stopped smiling, and if that smile told Lelouch anything, it was that he shouldn't spend his Christmas worrying. He may not have been together with his sister and their friends may have all moved on by now, but he had Suzaku and a warm fire and-

"I made cookies."

Suzaku gaped at him, clearly not expecting that, and let out a small, stifled laugh.

"Don't laugh." He batted him lightly on the arm and tried to untangle himself from Suzaku. The hand kept at the small of his back was making that endeavor a little difficult, though. He glared at him as best as he could, but Suzaku couldn't help but be reminded of Arthur's adorable hissing face. "Come on," he groaned, pressing his palms to Suzaku's chest to try to push himself away. "You've got to at least try one. I don't want to have made them for nothing."

His grin was infuriatingly unwavering. "Oh, I'm sure they're delicious, just like everything you do."

"Bake. You mean bake."

"Of course." _Infuriatingly_. That _had_ to have been on purpose.

Without any further questioning, Suzaku released him and Lelouch stumbled red-faced into the kitchen. Before the night was over, he was determined to show Suzaku a little piece of his mind. However, cookies came before all else. Grabbing the dish quickly from the table, he hastened back to the couch. Politely, Suzaku got up and scooted over to the far cushion to make some room.

"Adorable rustic home, a crackling fire, warm cookies – I don't think I've ever had a Christmas quite like this, Lelouch." He looked the selection over with an appreciative eye, trying to decide idly whether he wanted a reindeer or a snowman. Lelouch made the decision for him and picked up a snowman, holding it out for him.

Smile quickly spreading over his lips, Suzaku leaned down and took a bite, putting some red in Lelouch's cheeks. It was just as good as he expected it to be, and being fed by Lelouch only made it that much sweeter. Lips still sweet with sugar, he put a hand at the back of Lelouch's neck and brought him in for a kiss, letting him taste the buttery vanilla on his tongue.

"They're really good," he said, smiling affectionately.

Lelouch felt more comfortable around Suzaku than anyone else now, even after some of the things that had happened between them, but he still had the power to make him feel weak in the knees. Embarrassedly, he looked away and took a bite out of the snowman for himself, almost surprised that Suzaku was right. They were pretty good.

"You know," Suzaku murmured when the room had gone quiet, "you don't have to impress me. Even if we were cold and alone in the middle of a snowstorm, I think I'd have the best Christmas as long as it were with you." Gently, he wrapped an arm around Lelouch's shoulders and let him lay his head against his shoulder.

Lelouch finished the cookie himself in silence and stared down at his slippered feet for a moment, then back up at Suzaku. "It's kind of embarrassing to hear you say it... Because I know you mean it." He couldn't help the grin on his face, nor the way his chest tightened.

"Merry Christmas, Lelouch."

The night was still young and Lelouch imagined there was still enough time for them to do a lot of things. He didn't feel much like the type to entertain guests, though, but if it were Suzaku, he would be contented to stay on the couch all night with him if he could.

He laughed softly to himself and planted a kiss on Suzaku's cheek. "Yes, merry Christmas, Suzaku."


End file.
